“We’ll see about that.” He retrieves the ring and puts it in his pocket. “Karma should’ve bitten you in the ass a long time ago.”
I scream at the top of my lungs, trying to get out of the bed, but Mom and Anneli hold me down.
“Art, please just leave,” Anneli begs.
A nurse comes into the room, alerted by the commotion.
“What’s going on?” she asks.
“My daughter wants him to go,” Mom says, nodding towards Art.
“Sir, security will be notified if you refuse to leave on your own.”
“Cin, I’ll give you space for now, but don’t think for a minute this is over,” he states, exiting the room.
“Go to hell!” I struggle to draw in breath.
“What’s wrong with her?” Anneli asks.
“She needs rest,” the nurse answers.
“Is she going to be okay?” Mom asks in alarm.
“Yes, I’ll be back with a mild sedative to calm her down.”
My strength begins to wane, then darkness overtakes me again.
I royally fucked up. Being only seconds behind her, I saw the car accident happen. Time stood still. There was nothing I could do but watch in horror as her vehicle was struck before fishtailing. I raced towards the mangled metal, petrified of what I would find inside. She was unconscious—the only visible sign of injury a knot forming at her right temple. Relief flooded me when I felt a strong, steady pulse. I didn’t pull her from the wreckage, afraid of making any internal injuries worse, so I dialed 911 and waited for paramedics to arrive. Once she was stabilized and packed into the ambulance, I called her mom. Heather was available to watch Sebastian and Mason so Missy could meet me at the hospital.
Instead of going home after being dismissed from the hospital, I drive to Adrian’s house to lie in wait for him. I could be making a bad situation a lot fucking worse, but I need answers and I can’t trust her to be honest. History is repeating itself. Except this time, I’m not the other man. Cin is good at making me spiral out of control. I twirl the engagement ring in my fingers. It’ll be returned to its rightful owner soon enough. The bastard’s finally home. I’m across the street and on him the moment he exits his vehicle, delivering a brutal gut punch. He doubles over, wheezing, and being the sadistic prick that I am, I hit him a second time for good measure.
“You fucking my girl?” I growl.
“What if I am?” He smirks.
I deck him in the mouth for that comeback. “I can make you disappear.”
“I’m not afraid of you.”
I pull a knife from my pocket and tap it between his legs. “And here I thought you were smart.”
“Take it easy.” His tune changes instantly.
“Do you want to have children one day?” He tenses as I press the blade into his crotch harder.
“Crazy asshole.”
“You know this, and yet you continue to fuck with me.” I apply more pressure. “I’m waiting on a goddamn answer.”
“We’ve never fucked.”
“Never?”
“No.”
“What kind of fool do you take me for?” I put the knife against his throat, pressing until blood trickles down his neck.
He winces. “It’s the truth.”
